1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a method for monitoring the performance of optical WDM systems and in particular to an optical signal power detection method using a signature bit pattern.
2. Background Art
In optical transmission systems, various parameters such as power are measured to obtain information on the operating conditions of the transmission link. The fiber optic cables are tested by measuring the power losses associated with the light transmission, and thus, determine potential transmission errors.
In a WDM system, because different wavelengths of light have different attenuation characteristics, it is important to determine the attenuation of the fiber optic cable with respect to a specific wavelength of light used for a particular transmission channel. It is important to detect accurately the optical power of individual optical signals for many reasons, such as improved control of optical amplifiers, signal tracking at the optical layer, monitoring the accumulation of optical noise in a link with cascaded amplifiers, etc.
It is known to monitor the input and output of an optical amplifier in order to control the gain. To this end, fractions of the input and output signals are coupled out by taps (couplers) and detected by photodiodes. The electrical signals, recovered after this detection, are then used by the power monitor as needed. Since the power of the coupled out signal is very low in the case of digital systems, the power monitors required to detect and process this low signal are rather complex.
To date, the only other method for detecting the optical power of signals without using expensive optical filters is to amplitude modulate the optical signal to a controlled modulation depth with a signal (dither) unique to the respective transmission system. This method, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,029 by Kim Roberts, issued on Apr. 30, 1996 and assigned to Northern Telecom Limited, requires additional optical components, such as an external modulator and optical attenuators, and also requires electronics and real time control software at the transmitter, to both apply the amplitude modulation and to detect it, in order to accurately control the modulation depth.